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Punchestown 2024
Punchestown 2024
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- Review fairyhouse 17th Jan
Review fairyhouse 17th Jan
Racing made a welcome return from its weather-enforced absence and Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins both celebrated with trebles at Fairyhouse.
The highlight came when Scotsirish led home a Mullins 1-2 in the feature Normans Grove Chase.
The 7-4 favourite had taken over from last year's winner Mansony by the second-last fence and crossed the line four and a half lengths ahead of Snowy Morning < Arvika Ligeonniere (evens) had got Mullins and Walsh off to a good start when making his jumping introduction a winning one in the Kehoe Ceilings & Partitions Maiden Hurdle.
The French import was a costly failure on his Irish debut but, an early stumble aside, he jumped competently and after taking it up at the last, stayed on well to beat the front-running Caduceus by five lengths.
Walsh's three-timer was completed when the Tony Martin-trained Saddlers Storm (4-5) justified strong support in the Bobbyjo Bistro At Fairyhouse Handicap Chase, while Mullins notched his hat-trick through the highly impressive Up Ou That (6-4), ridden by the trainer's son Patrick, in the concluding Rockview INH Flat Race.
Walsh and Mullins had a rare reverse when Cousin Vinny let down odds-on followers in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.
The 2008 Champion Bumper hero jumped deliberately on occasion and lacked the fluency of An Cathaoir Mor (3-1), who denied another former Cheltenham hero in Nicanor in a head-bobbing finish.< The Hurl showed his appreciation for having his sights lowered by claiming the prize for the 20% On Line Discount Novice Hurdle.
The 9-4 joint-favourite, who was third behind Shinrock Paddy in a Grade One, finished tired but was entitled to after making most of the running en route to a six-length defeat of market rival Grange Alainn < Sharekan (12-1) has an ordinary strike-rate and unseated his rider last time, but he put all that behind him with an effortless success in the fairyhouseracecourse.ie Handicap Hurdle.